Is it just me or is the Mile High Salute making a comeback? For a while it seemed deader than Sarah Palin’s political future. In the past few years, I think I saw maybe once every few games. This year I think I’ve seen it every game at least once.–Dave Woodley, Eagle River, Ark.

When John Elway took charge of the Broncos’ football operations department, he said he wanted to bring back some of the organization’s championship traditions. One of them was The Mile High Salute. Elway likes it. He wanted it back. It’s back.

The Mile High Salute would reach a level, though, if Peyton Manning performed it after a touchdown. It won’t be easy. Manning hasn’t scored a touchdown since 2008. And he doesn’t strike me as a touchdown celebration guy.

But if Manning scores, looks into the Mile High crowd behind the North or South end zone and salutes? The B roll of that moment will be replayed countless times for as long as he’s with the Broncos.

I’m confused about the national criticism of Peyton Manning concerning his arm strength. Has it lost some of its zip? Yes. Does it affect his game? No. The game today is not predicated on the deep ball. In fact, if you are going to criticize Manning, then what about Tom Brady, Matt Ryan, Ben Roethlisberger. They all have similar stats. Only Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees are appreciably better when looking at the elite QBs (at least before Sunday, in Brady’s case). Is this just a case of the media looking for something on Peyton?–Josh Lowe, Colorado Springs

I haven’t heard much about the arm-strength issue since the Atlanta game. What’s strange is, I thought Manning hit on more deep passes against the Falcons in Week 2, as he started to bounce back from those three, first-quarter interceptions, than he did in week 4, when he dissected the Raiders for 338 yards and 3 TDs.

The NFL passing game is getting monotonous to the point where nearly 90 percent of the passes are thrown short or in the middle of the field. The other 10 percent are the quick outs or those one-on-one go-routes or double-move routes down the sideline. Once every 25 passes or so they try to pop a deep post. Manning can make all those throws.

The Broncos can bring in Brock Osweiler for the Hail Marys, which they thought about doing against Atlanta and Houston. But I don’t think the national media is looking for something, Josh. It seems to me the national media has generally treated Manning well. He nor anybody else is above criticism in defeat.

Are the Broncos hanging on to Knowshon Moreno for depth reasons? Or perhaps because of an inflated salary? You think they’d just let him go now that Ronnie Hillman has shown he can be a viable weapon, along with Willis McGahee and Lance Ball. Surely there’s a position we could use more depth at, especially given the injuries at LB, O-line and safety.–Matt, Chicago

John Fox was asked about this at his Monday press conference. And yes, Moreno is on the team for depth reasons.

“It’s a position that is vulnerable,” Fox said. “If you’re going to run the ball and run it as much as we do, we need a pretty big stable of them.”

Moreno is only making $855,000 this year — the minimum for fourth-year players is $700,000 — so salary is not the reason he’s still with the team.

Mike, it seems to me that center is one place where we have some depth. Do you expect a drop-off in play with the injury to J.D. Walton? And do you expect the depth chart to change?–Deborah, Ventura, Calif.

On paper, there’s no drop off. Dan Koppen’s NFL resume measures up with the elite NFL centers. He was the starting center for the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl teams in 2003 and 2004. He was the starting center for the 16-0 Pats in 2007.

But Koppen suffered a fractured ankle early last season and had not played until the second half of the Raiders game Sunday. The second half went well for the Broncos. So far, so good.

It will be interesting to see how Bill Belichick attacks the Broncos’ offense Sunday. After the Broncos lost right guard Chris Kuper to his busted up ankle last year, Belichick went after the middle of the offensive line in the playoff game.

But center and quarterback are the two positions where a guy can play into his late-30s. Koppen just turned 33. If he plays well he can play a while longer.

Is Jim Leonhard really the team’s best option at punt returner? Sure he can field well, but he’s got no breakaway speed and is absolutely no threat to return one for a TD. I can understand protecting Eric Decker, but how about Omar Bolden, Ronnie Hillman, or Matt Willis? There has to be someone better.–MW, Illinois

But it’s my belief the least important aspect of punt returning is the return. Priority No. 1 is catching the ball. Leonhard is among the most trusted in the league at securing the ball. Bolden and Hillman are rookies. Frankly, not many rookies can be trusted to catch the ball that floats high in the air with 75,000 fans as a backdrop and high-speed defensive backs and linebackers steaming somewhere in front.

Secondly, a punt returner needs to catch the ball before it hits the ground and rolls 20 yards or so. Eddie Royal was a good Broncos punt returner the previous four years. He could break a return or two. But I thought he would let a few too many of those short punts hit and roll.

I agree, Leonhard is not the most electrifying returner. But when a team has Peyton Manning at quarterback, all it wants is the ball.

I don’t want to nitpick the officials with the Broncos blowout victory over the Raiders, but how could they overturn Eric Decker’s catch? I thought the rule was that the ball could hit the ground, just as long as control was maintained and the ground didn’t aid the catch. Was this a blown call?–Krister Sorensen, Centennial

It was the correct call. There was too much nose of the ball exposed to the ground to call it a catch. The Chicago Bears’ Devin Hester got the call on Monday night but he had the ball a little more secure than Decker did. And Hester got a little lucky. It could have been overturned.

Hey Mike, I noticed that Mike Mohamad was issued jersey No. 47 and was active last week wearing said number. I thought the NFL didn’t allow linebackers to wear numbers in the 40s except in the preseason. I remember they made Brian Bosworth change from 44 to 55 his rookie year in Seattle. Is it that the NFL just didn’t like the “Boz” or did they change the policy?–Michael, Denver

Yep, all the 50s were taken, including Mohamed’s No. 53 from last year. That number went to Steven Johnson when the rookie linebacker from Kansas made the team to start the season and Mohamed did not.

When the 50s are taken, linebackers are asked to take a number from the 40s set. Gone are the days of No. 66 Ray Nitchske, No. 32 Mike Curtis and No. 34 Andy Russell.

Hi Mike, I’m gonna try make history and make two mailbags in a row because I’m truly that big of a fan and there is one part of last week’s question that you didn’t answer. That being: Would you stick with your original prediction for a 9-7 finish after week 4? AND, does J.D. Walton’s change your prediction?–Laton, Grand Forks, N.D.

Never has such a vanilla prediction of 9-7 been considered so out of the box. No doubt, this was at the pessimistic side of the region’s expectations — even if I pointed out that the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants were 9-7 in the regular season.

I never did see a 7-9 or even an 8-8 guess for the Broncos’ 2012 season. I did see, and hear, several 11-5 and even 12-4 predictions. Most predictions from the locals have been 10-6.

There were two reasons why I thought expectations for the 2012 Broncos should be tempered. The biggest was the ridiculously difficult schedule through the first nine games. The Broncos are currently 2-2 — and their two losses were to 4-0 Atlanta and 4-0 Houston. The schedule, indeed.

Four of the next five games are on the road (New England, San Diego, Cincinnati and Carolina), with the home game against the New Orleans Saints. That’s a brutal, brutal stretch. The Broncos could go 2-3 through these next five games and still be a playoff team.

And two, I didn’t think it was realistic to expect Manning to immediately return to prime form at 36 after he missed all of last season with a neck injury. I believe 2013 is when the Manning-led Broncos will have their largest Super Bowl window.

Manning has looked great — exceeding my expectations, by the way — in the Broncos’ two wins. He threw three interceptions in one loss and personal-record 26 incompletions in the other.

But, I’m not usually very good at predictions, Laton. Like everyone else, I brag when my predictions hit and say nothing when they don’t. As it stands now, I’m not bragging or apologizing. I’m observing, absorbing and waiting.

Mike Klis was with The Denver Post from Jan. 1, 1998 before leaving in 2015 to join KUSA 9News. He covered the Rockies and Major League Baseball until the 2005 All-Star break, when he was asked to start covering the Broncos.

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